The most important idea I took away from this chapter could be summed up more or less in one sentence - language was made by us to be used by us, not the other way around. If want to change it, we have the power to, and we also have the ability to use it successfully. This idea goes hand in hand with one of the key points of LEA Andrews also discussed in this chapter, which is to use and learn language in context. It's neither natural nor easy for people learn by studying isolated examples (or non-examples) then inserting them into their daily language life. Rather, humans much more easily learn through context and meaning. Instead of just preaching constantly to students "Don't use I, don't ever, ever use the first person in a paper," explain the different contexts of writing and how different situations call for different approaches. The examples in the chapter were good ones that give a basic understanding of context, like explaining that behavior and language used in the batter's box and witness stand are two very different things. For students, I think another relevant and simple example would be to poll or demonstrate how students might greet each other differently than they might greet a teacher. Some of the language exploration activities in Andrews explored these kinds of situations, so teachers could also gets kids to do freewrites about how they would act differently in similar situations just different people to get them thinking about language use. Overall, the idea of this chapter is an important one, which I don't think students often (if ever ) hear - it's not that the language they use is "bad," but whether their idea is communicated effectively and appropriately.
The most important idea I took away from this chapter could be summed up more or less in one sentence - language was made by us to be used by us, not the other way around. If want to change it, we have the power to, and we also have the ability to use it successfully. This idea goes hand in hand with one of the key points of LEA Andrews also discussed in this chapter, which is to use and learn language in context. It's neither natural nor easy for people learn by studying isolated examples (or non-examples) then inserting them into their daily language life. Rather, humans much more easily learn through context and meaning. Instead of just preaching constantly to students "Don't use I, don't ever, ever use the first person in a paper," explain the different contexts of writing and how different situations call for different approaches. The examples in the chapter were good ones that give a basic understanding of context, like explaining that behavior and language used in the batter's box and witness stand are two very different things. For students, I think another relevant and simple example would be to poll or demonstrate how students might greet each other differently than they might greet a teacher. Some of the language exploration activities in Andrews explored these kinds of situations, so teachers could also gets kids to do freewrites about how they would act differently in similar situations just different people to get them thinking about language use. Overall, the idea of this chapter is an important one, which I don't think students often (if ever ) hear - it's not that the language they use is "bad," but whether their idea is communicated effectively and appropriately.